COURSING, ETC. 279 



watching near those springs in the dusk of 

 the evening, in order to shoot them as they 

 alight. 



Woodcocks remain in this country until 

 the middle of March, and may be found all 

 the winter season, if the weather is not too 

 severe ; but if frosts happen which last for 

 some time, they will almost totally disap- 

 pear at that interval, and a few will only be 

 found by hazard in certain places where there 

 are springs which do not freeze. 



A month, or thereabouts, before their 

 departure, it is common to see them in pairs 

 at the morning and evening flights ; and to 

 hear them when flying make a piping noise, 

 although at other times they are quite rnute. 



As they are found in greater numbers in 

 the month of March, than in the middle of 

 winter, it is certain that they assemble at 

 that time in order to go abroad. Wood- 

 cocks are fattest from the middle of Novem- 



Bb 2 



